Live Blogging the State of the Union Address

By Niraj Chokshi and Brian Fung

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(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

10:40.Florida Senator Marco Rubio takes a break from delivering the Republican response to take a drink of water…

10:38. Rubio said that the economy shrank during the last three months of 2012. And, according to the government’s first read, it did. But first reads are almost always revised, and trade data released last week strongly suggested the -0.1 percent economic growth that was first reported will be revised upwards.

10:33. Gawker has a pretty awesome clip of Obama doing a fist-bump. But not any old fist-bump -- an explosive fist bump… with a Republican. Bipartisanship lives!

10:24. Don't leave just yet, though. We'll be following the Republican response.

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10:17. Following the speech, CNN immediately switched to coverage of the manhunt for alleged murderer and former Los Angeles police officer Chris Dorner, before returning to analysis of the address.

10:16. And that's a wrap. Obama's address was interrupted by applause 83 times and the president received 31 standing ovations, according to a National Journal count.

10:15. "Gabby Giffords deserves a vote," Obama says. "The families of Newtown deserve a vote. The families of Aurora deserve a vote."

10:10. Obama tells the story of Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed just a mile from his Chicago home. Her parents are sitting alongside the First Lady;

9:48. Obama called for making higher education more affordable. Here, National Journalinterviewed a college president who says the tuition arms race is just beginning.

9:47. Boosting jobs is a major part of this speech. Here's a chart showing job growth over the past few years:

9:41. Obama just called on Congress to send him a bill giving "every responsible homeowner in America the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today’s rates." That's something he's been calling on for at least a year.

9:40. Biden's bespectacled notetaking FTW.

9:33. The Associated Press is reporting that Obama had lipstick wiped from his face as he walked in. Here's a clip of that:

9:29. President Obama just delivered a key quote of the night (one of the few the White House previewed ahead of time): "A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – that must be the North Star that guides our efforts."

9:22. "The biggest driver of our long-term debt is the rising cost of health care for an aging population," the president just said. This chart from the Commonwealth Fund, as pointed out by the Washington Post shows how we compare to other industrialized nations:

9:21. The middle class plays a starring role in tonight's speech. Here's the president's eight-page "Plan for A Strong Middle Class & A Strong America."

9:18. Obama kicked off his speech tonight quoting one of his predecessors, John F. Kennedy. "The Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress,” Kennedy said. The quotation came from his 1962 State of the Union address.

9:17. The first standing ovation of the night came after Obama was introduced.

9:16. Biden is wearing a green ribbon in support of Sandy Hook victims. Boehner, strangely, is not. Senators McCain, Schumer and Graham are sporting them, too:

9:14. Still clapping...

9:10. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.

9:05. Biden is grinning like a madman. Boehner? Ehh, not so much.

9:00. How long is the State of the Union? More than 6,000 words.

8:59. First Lady Michelle Obama just walked in.

8:40. And they're off!

POTUS and FLOTUS just got into the Beast to head to the Capitol.When asked how he was feeling POTUS responded, "I feel great."

8:38. There's no more American way to enjoy a State of the Union than with a drinking game. If you're looking for something simple, just take a sip whenever you hear a cliche uttered. If you like your beer with a snark chase, then follow along with The Daily Caller. ("When the president says 'debt' or 'deficit,' take one of your friend's beers and promise to pay him back later.") If you prefer a more middle-of-the-road approach, The Washington Post has a game for you. And if you're not a fan of these types of things—but why would you be here if you weren't?—here's an anti-drinking game cocktail recipe from Vanity Fair.

8:30. Welcome to National Journal's live blog of tonight's State of the Union address. The excerpts are out and the results are in: tonight's theme will be jobs and the economy. Follow along here as the night unfolds.